May 15, (THEWILL) – Chelsea leapfrogged Newcastle into sixth place in the English Premier League table courtesy of a 2-1 victory over Brighton and Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium. Goals from Cole Palmer and Christopher Nkunku gave Mauricio Pochettino’s resurgent side all three vital points.
After a slow start to the campaign, Chelsea have hit form at the right time. They arrived in Sussex having lost just once in their previous 13 league outings. Palmer’s superb headed opener gave them a deserved lead before Nkunku coolly doubled the advantage.
Brighton rallied late on and Danny Welbeck’s close-range finish set up a tense finale. However, Chelsea held firm to record their 15th Premier League win of the season. The victory moves them up to sixth, keeping alive hopes of playing in Europe next season.
The result compounds Brighton’s late-season slump. Roberto De Zerbi’s men have now won just two of their last 12 top-flight matches, completely removing any prospects of European football next term for the club. They cling on to a top-half position for now.
Pochettino will be delighted with his side’s grit to see out the contest after Reece James’ late dismissal. Chelsea’s recent revival continues ahead of their final game against Bournemouth.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
